Behind My Eyes
by Suki-Itami
Summary: A Naruto AU fic inspired by "Behind These Hazel Eyes" by Kelly Clarkson. ---Sorry if this seems to go a little fast.---


The ambulance sped towards the hospital. The paramedics were trying their hardest to keep her alive. Someone hooked her up to a oxygen machine, an ivy was being inserted into her arm.

He held onto her hand, tears running down his face. "Please don't die! I'm sorry; I didn't know that she going to try anything! Forgive me!"

"Please, sir, you're going to have to move." One paramedic said as she moved him aside so that she could help the others.

The ambulance stopped quickly and, as they still worked, the paramedics ran the girl inside the hospital with the boy running with them as far as they would let him. Inside the E.R., the girl was fading fast.

"We're losing her!" The doctor shouted. Someone handed him the shock paddles and he rubbed them together, waiting for them to say something.

"Clear!"

The doctor shocked the girl again; her heart beat twice then gave out again. They tried again and again, but to no avail.

Two months ago…

A girl of fifteen years ran down a crowded street, running behind for school. Her long black hair flew behind her as she ran, her uniform whipped around her body. Her high school was still a block-in-a-half away, she going to be late.

A boy of sixteen was walking into the high school grounds, calmly listening to his Ipod. His short, spiky red hair waved every so slightly with the breeze, as did his uniform. Above his left eye he had the Japanese Kanji for Ai (Love) tattooed, he wore heavy eyeliner around his eyes.

He looked down the street and saw the girl running. "Hey, gate man, wait a minute."

The guy who shut the gate, called gate man by most people, waited until the girl was on the grounds with the boy before shutting the gate.

The boy took out his headphones and stuffed his Ipod into his gray messenger bag.

The girl smiled up at the boy, who was barely taller than her. "Thank you." She said, catching her breath.

The boy shrugged. "It's no big deal. Don't think it'll happen again though, there's no telling who'll be walking up."

The girl nodded and walked into the building. "But still, I was going to be late if you hadn't stopped the guy from shutting the gate."

The boy turned left down the main hall as the girl turned right.

"Um, excuse me?" She asked, stopping the boy.

"Yeah…?"

"What's your name?"

"Gaara. You?"

She smiled. "I'm Hinata."

Gaara nodded at Hinata. "I'll see you around, Hinata-Chan." He turned around and walked off to his homeroom.

Hinata, still smiling, turned around and ran off to her own homeroom. She was only a first year student, so she was near the front of the building. Hinata walked in as the first bell rang, barely making it on time.

The teacher wasn't in the classroom yet, so they still had some time before class started. Near where Hinata sat were her friends, TenTen, Sakura, and Ino.

Sakura had long pink hair that was always bound in a single ponytail at the top of her head; TenTen always wore her long black hair in panda buns and always wore a silver sword necklace; and Ino always wore her long blonde hair in a ponytail that was bound with a purple ribbon.

Hinata walked over to them and put her stuff down. "Ohayō, everyone." (A/N: Ohayō means Good Morning)

"Hinata-San, you barely made it. Where were you?" Sakura asked. She knew as well as anybody else that Hinata's parents would never allow her to be late.

"My parents left early and Hanabi is sick." Hinata sighed.

"Maybe I should've sent Neji-Koi home this morning." TenTen said to no one in particular.

"Again?" Ino asked, as if shocked. "Girl, if you get pregnant before too long I will **not** be shocked!"

TenTen blushed. "Why does this always come as a surprise to you? And no, we didn't do that last night!"

"Oh, that reminds me…how are you and Sasuke-Kun doing, Sakura-San?" Hinata asked.

Sakura looked at the ground, sad. "He dumped me for Naruto-Kun."

"Naruto-Kun?!" The other three girls asked at once.

Sakura nodded. "He said that he loved Naruto-Kun and left me."

Sakura's friends exchanged glances, not sure whether to be sad for their friend or impressed by her strength.

Hinata put a reassuring hand on Sakura's shoulder. "It's okay, Sakura-San…who needs him? You've got us!"

"Yeah!" Ino and TenTen said at once.

Sakura smiled up at her friends. "Thanks guys."

Kiba walked into the room and right over to Sakura. "Is it true?"

The four girls looked at Kiba strangely, not sure what he meant.

"About Naruto-Kun and Sasuke-Kun…?"

Sakura looked sadly at the ground again and, while TenTen and Ino attempted to comfort her, Hinata said, "Yes, Kiba-Kun, it's true."

"Hinata-Chan, doesn't it sadden you?" Kiba seemed shocked that Hinata was fine with it.

"Why would it?" Hinata was confused.

"Don't you love him or something?"

Hinata shook her head. "No, he's just a friend."

Kiba walked off. "I was just making sure I hadn't heard wrong, see ya." He walked out of the classroom and back to his own class.

Sasuke and Naruto walked in a few minutes later with the teacher behind them. The two sat down in their seats and the teacher began the lesson.

Hinata sat in her seat as the teacher started talking; she tried to focus but just kept finding herself thinking of Gaara. _What is it about him that is making me lose my focus???_

"Hyuuga-Chan, read page one-eleven." The teacher said strictly.

Hinata stood up and read the page aloud.

…

Gaara was sitting in his homeroom class, waiting for his teacher to arrive. His siblings were talking with their friends on different sides of the room. His older sister, Temari, was graduated but was a teacher's aide. Her dream was to teach high school later in life. Her blonde hair was bound into two sets of pigtails; she wore an informal black skirt and a white dress shirt. Her friends were Gaara's age, but she got along with them as if they were her age. His older brother, Kankuro, was in his last year in high school. He had brown hair styled like Gaara's; he normally wore purple make-up but had woken up late so he didn't have any on.

Another student ran into the classroom, this was one of Gaara's friends, Deidara. He, like Gaara, wore eyeliner around his eyes. He had blonde hair bound in a ponytail that touched the nape of his neck; he had to wear gloves on his hands because of experimenting done to him years ago that left his hands deformed. Today part of Deidara's bangs hung in front of his left eye, hiding it.

Gaara looked up from his book, _Carrie_ by Stephen King, as Deidara walked up to him. "You're late."

Deidara threw his stuff down at his desk, cattycorner to Gaara, and sighed. "I know, I know."

"Where are Itachi-Kun, Sasori-San, and Kisame-San?" Gaara asked, snapping his book closed.

Deidara shrugged. "I saw Itachi-Kun in the office on the way in. Don't know where Sasori-San and Kisame-San are."

Gaara sighed. "What brings you here late?"

"Woke up late." Deidara said nonchalantly; he got this every time he came in late, so he was used to it.

Itachi walked into the room and threw his stuff down while walking over to his friends. He had long black hair bound in a braid; he had long lines under his eyes, making him look tired 24/7. "Hey."

"Office…?" Gaara said with a questioning look.

Itachi sighed. "Deidara-Kun told you, I assume."

Gaara nodded.

"I vandalized part of the school last week and I'm on probation." Itachi shook his head. "All I wrote was 'suck it'."

Deidara sighed this time. "And you wonder why you're always in trouble…?"

Itachi crossed his arms over his chest. "Anyway, anybody seen Kisame?"

Deidara and Gaara both shook their heads.

"What about Sasori-San?" Itachi was confused; those two were always on time.

The teacher, who had pale white skin and wore purple eye shadow, then walked in. "Sit down, everyone!"

Everyone sat down and Temari walked to the front of the classroom.

"You could've started without me." He said, smirking. "But I appreciate that you would wait to be taught yourself."

Temari ignored that last comment, she knew that this guy was a slimy snake, but she needed the experience to graduate college. "You had the lesson plan, couldn't have started class anyway."

Gaara and Kankuro did their best to resist trying to strangle their teacher, like everyday, as he hit on their sister.

He cleared his throat. "Yes, of course." Then he mumbled. "You tease…"

Temari glared at him. "You seriously have it, Orochimaru-San!"

Orochimaru opened up his briefcase and saw that Temari wasn't lying; he did have it. He sighed and said, "Fine, lets start class."

Gaara put his head on his hand with his elbow resting on his desk. He knew that it was going to be a long day. He opened his textbook and looked blankly down at the page. Suddenly, Hinata's face flashed in his mind.

Gaara shook his head. _That's odd…_

…

The bell rang and everyone who had weapons training or gym left their homeroom for their correct class. Hinata and TenTen had weapons training together, while Sakura and Ino had gym. As Hinata walked into the class, she ran into somebody.

She regained her composure as she realized whom exactly she had bumped into. "I'm sorry!"

Gaara shook his head. "It's not a big deal, Hinata-Chan." He stood aside and let Hinata walk into the classroom first.

Hinata took her seat in front of Gaara; she didn't even realize that he sat there until now. Gaara sat at his desk feeling awkward, he hadn't even noticed Hinata until this morning and all this time she had sat in front of him during weapons training. He felt a bit stupid for realizing this now, after the awkward feeling passed.

Hinata turned to Gaara. "I didn't know you sat there."

Gaara looked at Hinata and nodded. "And I didn't realize that you sat right in front of me."

The teacher walked in. She had long black hair that spiked off near the ends and wore a red long sleeved shirt with blue jeans. "Today we'll be learning about the proper technique used to throw a shuriken successfully without hurting yourself."

Hinata raised her hand. "Sarutobi-Sensei—"

"Call me Kurenai, for the millionth time!" Kurenai all but yelled.

"Kurenai-Sensei, is your husband, Asuma-Sensei, helping us today?" Hinata asked hopefully.

Asuma was a weapons genius, Kurenai brought him in everyday that they used weapons.

Kurenai shook her head. "He's at home with our baby today, so we will be training without him."

The class shot Kurenai some worried looks. Some of them weren't the best with a weapon. Last time Asuma wasn't there, three students had to be sent to the hospital for injuries caused by kunai knives.

"Today, our top student, TenTen-Chan, will be helping me." Kurenai said boldly.

TenTen smiled though she was worried a bit. She, as well as anybody, knew that it would be dangerous to help teach the students but would help anyway.

"Now, go get dressed and meet me in the field." Kurenai said, walking out a door.

The students went into the locker rooms and changed into the clothes they brought with them everyday. The outfits varied from the most simple to the most intricate.

Hinata walked out in an unzipped white jacket with a black t-shirt underneath and capris, a shuriken holster around her right leg. TenTen walked out in a pink tank top and blue jeans, a shuriken holster around her left leg. Gaara walked out with a blood red, unbuttoned, trench coat over a black t-shirt and long sleeved net shirt and black pants; a light brown bag was attached to his waist, holding his weapons.

Kurenai waited for them as they lined up in front of her in the field. The field was simply a room that had intricately painted walls, sand serving as a floor, and a few trees that had grown in the sand.

Once all of the students were lined up, she called for the first two people to come up. Hinata and Shikamaru.

Hinata walked up to Kurenai with Shikamaru trailing. Shikamaru wore a light gray t-shirt and blue jeans; his black hair was in a ponytail on the top of his head. He was the kind of person who didn't care about much and was very lazy…until he fought.

"These two will fight using the techniques I have taught you all so far." Kurenai announced.

The rest of the class sat down against a far wall while Shikamaru and Hinata fought.

Hinata pulled out a kunai knife and ran at Shikamaru. Shikamaru blocked Hinata's kunai with his own and ran backwards until he hit the wall. Once against the wall, he shoved Hinata away and climbed the nearest tree.

Hinata glared up at Shikamaru from his perch in the tree, he wasn't one to fight close combat. Shikamaru threw his kunai at Hinata, who blocked it by throwing her own and threw another one with a mini-paper bomb attached.

The kunai implanted itself in the tree and the paper bomb exploded, the smoke forced Shikamaru from his place in the tree and back to the ground. Shikamaru fell to the ground and coughed from the smoke that had filled his lungs. Shikamaru tried to stand up, but once he was on his knees, he felt the cold blade of a kunai knife at his throat.

Hinata held the kunai at the back of Shikamaru's throat, not moving and never wavering. She wasn't about to pull it away and she wasn't going to hesitate in killing him if ordered.

Kurenai clapped. "Good job Hinata-Chan, you both may go sit down now."

Hinata put away the kunai knife and sat down in between TenTen and Gaara as two more people were called up to fight.

Gaara looked at her and nodded. He was silently telling her good job.

TenTen patted Hinata on the shoulder. "Good job, girl!"

Hinata smiled at both of them, she had become stronger since the start of the year, when she first started taking this class, and it showed.

Kurenai then explained and demonstrated the proper way to throw a shuriken without hurting yourself or your allies that might be near the target. Of course the class was not allowed to try yet because Asuma was not there and TenTen couldn't even really do it well, so it would have to wait until tomorrow.

As they were leaving the class, after getting changed back into their uniforms, Gaara stopped Hinata.

Hinata told TenTen to go on without her and looked up at Gaara. "Yes?"

"I was wondering if you had any plans for this weekend…?" Gaara said as calmly as he could.

"Not currently…why?" Hinata didn't understand what he wanted from her.

Gaara scratched the back of his head. "Well, I was impressed by what you did back there and I was wondering if…you could help me…improve my skills."

Hinata understood what he really meant, but knew that he meant it with all good intentions. "If you mean a movie and dinner first…then yes, I'll help you 'improve your skills'."

Gaara smiled small. "Um, okay then. See you later then." He walked off to his next class.

Hinata walked into her class, this time she was with TenTen and Ino. She didn't know how to tell them that she was going to be spending the evening tomorrow with the upperclassman bad boy.

TenTen ran up to Hinata as soon as she saw her. "What did that guy want?!"

Ino was right behind TenTen, wanting to know more of what TenTen told her.

Hinata found no other excuse. "He asked me to 'help him improve his skills'. I will be spending the evening with him this weekend."

Ino and TenTen squealed in happiness for their friend. "Yaay!"

"Yaay…?" Hinata said, confused. "Is this really such a big deal?"

"Of course!" Ino shouted. "You're the only one of us who is still a virgin! It **is** a big deal!!"

Just then Kisame walked in. His light brown skin reflected off of his dyed light blue hair perfectly; his teeth were sharpened to a point.

Kisame walked up to the three girls. "What did I miss in weapons training?"

TenTen and Hinata turned to the taller man and said, "Shikamaru-San got his ass kicked."

"Huh?"

"Hinata-San's awesome, she kicked his ass!" TenTen said happily.

Hinata chuckled innocently. "It's not like it's a big accomplishment."

Kisame shrugged. "She's right."

"And Hinata-San has a 'date' with your boy, Gaara-San!" Ino said, not able to keep it in.

The three looked at Ino strangely. "You know him?" They all asked.

Ino nodded. "He's my lab partner for chemistry."

Kisame nodded. "Well, what will you being doing on your 'date'?"

Hinata blushed. "Helping him with 'weapons training'."

Kisame smirked and chuckled knowingly. "I understand, have fun."

The teacher walked in and they went to their seats. The rest of the day seemed to fly by for Hinata, she met Gaara after school and he walked her home.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." Gaara said, stopping at the front gate to Hinata's house.

Hinata nodded. "Yes. Where will we meet?"

Gaara thought about it for a minute then said, "Shinjuku Station at three o'clock."

Hinata nodded again. "I'll see you."

Gaara pecked Hinata on the cheek before walking away.

Hinata smiled and walked into her house, blushing.

Next Time:

My Love;

Hinata and Gaara go on a date, and they share more on this first date than they thought they could.


End file.
